...if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal." JFK

Finally, an energy bill is being debated that might actually help the entire USA. It passed in the Senate, 65-27,on Thursday and now we await a bill from the House. The energy bill is far from perfect.

Democrats wanted electricity producers to cut their reliance on coal and use at least 15% of energy obtained from alternative sources. Republicans nixed that because climate change is not caused by humans.

Democrats wanted to raise taxes on oil and gas companies, but although these companies are awash in profits it wasn't enough for Republicans. They nixed the tax increase.

The energy bill also calls for raising fuel efficiency standards, to 35 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks by 2020. Of course the auto industry hates this and claims it is not obtainable. They always say that.

Being able to distinguish facts from opinions, or the capacity to think critically, should be an important outcome of education. People are entitled to their own opinions, but shouldn't one be able to justify how they arrived at their opinion? Shouldn't a valid opinion be based on facts, information or evidence and not just on beliefs?

Most people believe homosexuality is not "normal". That may or may not be true. But it is a logical fallacy (appeal to belief) to use that argument to form a valid opinion.

It doesn't matter if you are a pedophile or not if there is no God. This is known as an appeal to consequences of belief. "God must exist! If God did not exist, then all basis for morality would be lost and the world would be a horrible place!"

How about an appeal to fear? We should all be familiar with this one since our government has used it against us for the past 6 years or so. Most pedophiles are gay! There is also a problem with cause and effect (questionable cause) here. Is A the cause of B simply because they might occur together?

Here is one that really gets to me. The fallacy of the middle ground. Opinions A and B are extreme to one side or another. My opinion C must be correct because it lies in the middle. The middle ground often is correct but that is not always the case.

Statement: People are born gay. Question: What is your proof? Reply: No one has been able to prove it. This is an appeal to ignorance. The burden of proof is on the wrong side.

The New York Assembly passed same-sex marriage legislation Tuesday night and Teresa Sayward (R-Elizabethtown) was one of four Republicans that voted in favor of the legislation. Thirty-eight Republicans and twenty-two Democrats along with a single independent voted against the Bill.

As the debate wound down, Teresa Sayward spoke emotionally of the struggles faced by her gay son as he grew up wanting "to be normal." She pleaded with fellow Assembly members to back the bill.

"Let's search our hearts tonight and do the right thing," said the Willsboro Republican as her colleagues rose to applaud her.

It's interesting to contrast comments from progressives and conservatives when it comes to the issue of gay marriage. Progressives speak of equal rights while conservatives speak of what the bible says, what the Catholic nuns taught, how gay marriage will destroy the family, etc.

I was surprised and pleased to hear gay marriage being discussed on Saranac Lake's "Talk of the Town" (on Tuesday). Many callers, 10 out of 18, were in favor of NY granting the right of marriage to gays. Unfortunately, the callers that were opposed to gay marriage gave the same tired reasons why it should never happen. One caller even proclaimed how the incidence of AIDS would increase if gay marriage was allowed! Another big reason to oppose gay marriage is that it is "just not normal" Some callers were good enough to define "normal" for the listening audience. Gay people are not "normal" because they are in the minority. Or, if you want to know what "normal" is.....read the bible (I choked on my coffee on that one).

Today (Wed.)on TOT our conservative friend "Gary, from Bloomingdale" gave us the benefit of his knowledge (the mp3 is only up for a week so listen while you can).

1. You are not born gay2. I believe being gay is something you choose, it's a sexual preference3. I know people that were married, had children, and then "turned" gay.4. If you believe in God you gotta be saying "well God you made a mistake with me". If there is a God, he doesn't make mistakes.5. If there is not a God it doesn't matter whether you are gay or not, does it? Doesn't matter whether you are a pedophile or not if there is no God.6. The majority of gay people that I have known are a psychological mess, they really are.7. Most pedophiles are GAY! (based on the fact that Catholic priests didn't molest any girls).8. People better start quit looking through clouded glasses at this9. And people asked what's normal? Normal is the way nature made you. That's normal.

You might think that Gary is wrong, but he checks into these things pretty carefully (he tells us).

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

OK, Americans are probably not any more ignorant than people of other countries. But, can you argue that we have a deficiency in the ability to think critically?

Let's take the "alternative medicine" product Enzyte, of "natural male enhancement, for example. This is a "nutraceutical" sold by Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals.

How could anyone possibly fall for the annoyingly, stupid "Smiling Bob" commercials is beyond me. Yes, I know, "a fool is born every minute", "a fool and his money is soon parted (or elected)" and "never underestimate the power of human stupidity.

Now a Class Action Suit will likely soon be settled to the tune of only $4.7 million dollars. The company walks away with hundred of millions of dollars from scaming people that cannot think critically.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has changed his party affiliation from Republican to "blank". Does this mean he is planning to enter the US Presidential race? There are a few people running that are rich enough to buy a couple of states. Bloomberg is rich enough to buy a country. He can finance his own campaign. He appears to be honest.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Creationism, that is, the idea that God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years.

Definitely true - 39%

Probably true - 27%

Probably false - 16%

Definitely false - 15%

No opinion - 3%

Total true - 66%

Total false - 31%

There may be some reasons why people might believe God created human beings. But just 10,000 years ago? Are Americans (USA) ignorant? Did those polled understand the question? Is it a badly worded question? Do 2/3's of us in the USA really believe mankind is only 10,000 years old? Does that mean they think the Earth is only 10,000 years old?

I believe that the American military is on target when officers ask for a mission that includes maintaining -- either at bases in Iraq at the request of Iraq or in bases in Turkey, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia -- a military force powerful enough to launch special operations missions against al-Qaeda or Sunni insurgents in Iraq; train Iraqi troops to defend their own country; and guarantee the security of the Iraqi government, if so desired by Iraq.

It seems to me that that is just what some Democrats have proposed for almost two years now (think John Murtha). I've yet to hear any Democrats say that withdrawing troops from Iraq means we will ignore problems that can be addressed using military force, such as fighting al-Qaeda, securing Iraqs borders or training Iraqi troops.